Le mystère de la chambre forte

I grew up in the 1960s and the man from U. N. C. L. E was one of my favourite TV shows. Not meant to be comedies but now watching in my late 60s I can see it is very tongue in cheek. As was the Batman and Robin series around the same time. What's so refreshing to watch is that like the James Bond films at the time there is no PC around how women are attracted to Napoleon Solo. Love the ridiculous storyline and how the test to distinguish the real one is by a snog. Really good to watch from the point of view of how the 1960s were and filmmakers didn't feel the need to have a credible plot. Don't take it too seriously.

From what I understand, 'The Spy With My Face (1965)' is essentially an extended version of an episode of 'The Man From U. N. C. L. E (1964 - 1968)' that already aired on television in 1964. It seems to be a single episode padded with extra scenes, which thankfully only stretch the runtime to a merciful eighty-six minutes. Its roots in television are incredibly evident right from the outset, with cheap sets and flat cinematography perforating pretty much every scene. Its structure also mimics a typical tv episode, lacking the sense of escalation typically found in big-screen efforts and culminating in a bit of a low-budget whimper. The plot is really weak, consisting primarily of stuffy spies spelling out their surprisingly mundane plans before going about them uninterrupted. It has very little tension or suspense; as such, it's just really dull. It isn't intriguing in the slightest and it's too vague for its own good. Ultimately, the entire affair barely feels like anything at all. It isn't achingly boring, but it gives you very little reason to care or, even, keep watching. I don't hate it, don't get me wrong. It's inoffensive, fairly snappy for what it is and features a couple of serviceably suave performances. I'm very apathetic towards it, though. It's the sort of thing I'll forget about as soon as I submit this review. It's as dull as dishwater, if I'm honest. Maybe fans of the series (which I've never seen) will find more fun here, but they'll probably have also seen the original episode that this is extended from and that's likely the superior version. 4/10.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

THRUSH kidnaps Napoleon Solo (Vaughn) and replaces him with a double in order to infiltrate a secret UNCLE operation called 'The August Affair', which will enable them to get their hands on 'Project Earthsave', an intense energy force that is being stored for use in the event of attacks from outer space. Such a weapon could give THRUSH what it always wanted - control of the world!

THE SPY WITH MY FACE was the second spin-off movie from the popular MAN FROM UNCLE spy series. It is an extended version of a season one episode called 'The Double Affair' (originally broadcast 17/11/64) and contains additional footage that was considered too risqué for television. For example the scene where Vaughn takes a shower with Senta Berger and Vaughn in bed with Sharon Farrell. The opening sequence where UNCLE invade THRUSH headquarters Australia was also an extra scene that didn't feature in the TV original.

THE SPY WITH MY FACE is one of the best of the UNCLE films in that it's slickly produced and stands up as a time capsule of it's era, the 1960's when spy thrillers were all the rage. Series regulars Robert Vaughn as Napoleon Solo, David McCallam as Illya Kuriyakin and Leo G Carroll as Mr Waverly are a joy to watch as always.

The very first big screen mission for sickeningly suave TV spy icons, Napoleon Solo & Illya Kuryakin in 'Spy With My Face' (1965) is given some considerable pep by the luminous addition of zesty, Euro-cult screen goddess, the sensationally sultry, sweetly sinister, serially spy duping, Senta Berger! Right on!!!!!! And if I'm being honest, I was genuinely surprised at how well this glossy, high-voltage hokum stands up today; hella' stoopid, super-slinky, face-swapping, super-spy-hi-jinks, slap n' tickle, super-weapon stealing, fluff n' stuff that ALMOST moves fast enough to forget the cheap-jack dumb stuff! (and, for me at least, remote controlled, poison-gas delivering robots will ALWAYS be righteously rad prospect!) 😍

There is a scene when the real Napoleon Solo gets a very sexy massage from a character named Nina, played by Donna Michelle, that's the coolest scene in the whole movie. I would have preferred an identical double look-alike of Nina to be made by those from T. H. R. U. S. H. and somehow sent to me. OK, the movie isn't bad, you can watch it, you got my approval, if you put a yellow triangle-shaped card on your chest to give the impression that you are working yourself for U. N. C. L. E.